Phoenix couple wins battle to remove speed hump in front of driveway

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Back in August, On Your Side introduced you to a Phoenix family who couldn’t believe it when the city put a speed hump right in front of their driveway. City officials told them if they didn’t like it, they would have to pay to have it removed — if their neighbors agreed.

Well, Jeremy and Monica Anshell kept fighting city hall and won. “Just hitting my car on the bottom of it was like a daily aggravation,” said Monica. “So now I’m like, so nice.”

In a previous On Your Side report, the Anshells explained how the City of Phoenix temporarily removed the existing speed hump as part of a street paving project. At the same time, the Anshells were putting in a new driveway for their extended garage. The couple says the timing was perfect and claimed the city agreed verbally to reinstall the hump in another location instead of in front of their new driveway.

City inspectors even marked where the new speed hump would be reinstalled. “They walked the street. I walked the street with them,” Monica said. “They remarked the new location. So at that point, my husband and I thought OK, this is great; they agree that this can’t be put back in the original location.” But when street maintenance was completed, and that speed hump was to be reinstalled, the city put it in the exact location they agreed not to put it — in front of the Anshells’ driveway.

On Your Side got involved and contacted the City of Phoenix, where street transportation officials defended the speed hump’s placement even though national and city guidelines say speed humps should not be installed in front of driveways.

So, On Your Side took the issue to City Hall, where City Councilwoman Debra Stark initially declined to get involved. However, after the On Your Side news report aired, Stark’s office had a change of heart and agreed to have the speed hump removed. “Debra Stark’s office did get back involved and I think they kind of led the charge to get the city to take care of it,” Jeremy said.

The councilwoman’s Chief of Staff sent On Your Side a statement that reads, “After reviewing the totality of the situation with the Street Transportation Department, the department removed the speed hump with no cost to the residents.” And with that, city workers came back out and removed the hump.

The Anshells say it only happened with the help of On Your Side. “Huge difference,” Jeremy said. “I’m not sure we would have. I think we’d still have it here today without you guys. So thank you.”

At one point, the city quoted the Anshells a total of more than $10,000 to have the speed hump removed and not replaced. So, they’re thankful the city finally agreed to pick up the tab.

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